The country should switch to EU standards of phytosanitary control, Russian leader says

Russia will continue trying to settle relations with the EU and Ukraine, especially the trade ones. Russian President Vladimir Putin said this, commenting on results of the trilateral negotiations held throughout 2015, which ended in Brussels yesterday (TASS).

“I think we’ll get back to these issues. We want to normalize our relations with our partners, specifically trade relations with Ukraine, and with the EU, too”, Putin said.

Putin stressed that Russia has to switch to the EU system of phytosanitary control.

"We can’t do that on a one-off basis, so none of our agricultural products will be allowed at the European market. If the zero custom duty between Ukraine and Russia stays in place, all European goods will go to Ukraine, forcing out our products”, he explained.